Maintaining your pearly whites with regular hygiene isn’t always enough. Despite our best efforts, teeth can become impacted, overcrowded, broken or infected, calling for emergency tooth extraction or wisdom teeth removal. The Edmonton family dentists at Westmount Dental Centre know that many people are anxious about tooth extraction; with proper preparation and care, we will help you feel as comfortable as possible during and after your procedure.

When Will a Tooth Extraction Be Recommended?If you experience pain, swelling, a bad taste in your mouth or perpetual bad breath, it may indicate a tooth that is badly decayed or infected. We will make every effort to clean out the infection or decay and save the tooth, but in some instances, removal of the tooth is the only way to protect you from further infection and pain. We may also recommend the removal of wisdom teeth if they are impacted or if they are crowding your other teeth and affecting your bite or dental hygiene. We will discuss your options after an oral exam, and we are happy to answer any questions you may have about root canal, tooth extraction, and more. Here are some of the questions that we hear the most often:

What Should I Do to Prepare for My Tooth Removal?Before your extraction, your Westmount Dental Centre dentist will need to take x-rays, gather your medical history, and consider the list of your current medications, vitamins, and supplements. Our office can then help you schedule your extraction. If your tooth is severely infected, performing the removal right away can cause complications, like spreading the infection. To prevent this and to help make the procedure more comfortable for you, your dentist may prescribe an antibiotic in advance of your extraction appointment.

What Should I Expect During the Procedure?Your dentist will use local anesthetics to combat anxiety and pain by numbing the affected tooth and the surrounding areas. As the tooth extraction procedure begins, patients often feel a lot of pressure. The dentist will rock the tooth back and forth to loosen it and cut away gum and bone tissue until the tooth can be removed. In the case of an impacted wisdom tooth where the affected tooth has not broken through the gum line, your dentist will make a small incision in the gums first to reach the tooth. Severely damaged or decayed teeth may have to be removed in pieces.

What Should I Do after My Tooth Extraction? To promote proper healing, a blood clot must form in the socket where the tooth was extracted. Taking precautions after your extraction will allow the clot to form and your socket to heal. Follow these guidelines for best results:

Drink lots of liquids

Eat only soft foods for the first 24 hours

Chew foods on the opposite side of your mouth until you are sure the socket has healed

Keep your other teeth clean, but be extremely careful with the teeth near the extraction site

Do not rinse, but rather bite down on some clean gauze for any bleeding in the first 24 hours

Rinse gently with saltwater after meals following the first 24 hours

If you smoke, wait at least 24 hours to resume smoking

Some bleeding is common during the first 24 hours of your extraction, but saliva can often make small amounts of bleeding look alarming. Tenderness and slight pain is common following an extraction and can be relieved by over-the-counter pain relievers and in some cases prescription for pain reliever may be required. Do not take aspirin.

Tooth Extraction & Edmonton Emergency Dental ClinicWhile you may experience some pain and tenderness following your extraction, extreme pain could be caused by ongoing infection. Talk with your dentist or doctor if pain becomes severe or if you need an emergency dental appointment in Edmonton. If you have questions regarding your emergency tooth extraction or wisdom teeth removal, give Edmonton’s Westmount Dental Centre a call today.